Newsletter July 2018

Prez Pic The Prez sez —

Just think: this year is already half over! We are now approaching the hottest months of the year. I sure am glad that some hard-working, dedicated people installed air conditioners and insulation to make this place a better place to work in and have fun. Even with the heat, things are getting done: the Dexter Yard improvement project is underway, Dexter city has some new buildings and scenery, and the middle peninsula museum is taking shape with scenery and new buildings. We even have a new member, David F. If you haven’t had a chance to meet talk to him, do so as soon as you can. We need to make sure he feels at home, just like the rest of us. More next month, hopefully.
— Thanks, Paul

Done – The newly repaired cooling tower Rob promised to finish a month ago is done and back on the Chyrokes yard site. A vast improvement, and maybe being back on the layout will protect it from well meaning but careless handling for closer inspection. (Rob D photo)

THE ROAD AHEAD

Bob T and Paul have been hard at work building a whole new yard and wye at Dexter, and they have planned pretty much everything in advance to make sure that some of the problems we’ve found in some of the existing trackage are not repeated. First, of course, is Bob’s track plan, carefully scaled to make sure that all the mainline curves leading into and out of the new yard are wide enough to accommodate the largest, longest locomotives and cars owned by members.

The track spacing has been carefully laid out to ensure that not only locomotives, but also long cars, both freight and passenger can pass in either direction without fouling. An additional factor, which led to more than 20 iterations of Bob’s plan is to ensure that inbound train locomotives can drop their cars and run into the wye and reverse direction if desired, and go back out without blocking yard activities. True point-to-point operation is possible for the first time, while retaining the capacity for endless loop running.

And the planning includes the benchwork. The old layout perimeter has been shifted about two inches north to straighten to track alignment. The new benchwork has already been carefully constructed to eliminate any grades to keep free-rolling cars from running away during switching or storage and avoiding run away cars from derailing or stopping where they cannot be reached. We have tried to learn from previous mistakes!

The club welcomed Dave F as a new member in mid-June, and he has been a regular attendee at club gatherings since then. He was a registered architetect, but now, like many other club members, is retired and loves it. Originally a Tyler native, he spent about a decade with AMTRAK in Philadelphia. He likes and models passenger trains (surprise) and now lives in Sulphur Springs. If you’ve not met him yet, make the effort next meeting. You’ll like him.

Green, Green, its Green They say – Bob A applies some more grass to the nearly complete logging/mining town for installation on the middle peninsula. A question: is this the fabled town of East Onionbreath? Surely it’s not a part of nearby Hickeyville. Note the buildings in the lower left. Many of these were recently done by Jared, Bob’s co-worker on the project. (Rob D photo)

Almost Fits – Bob T checks a full size drawing of his proposed changes. The latest iteration adds a third approach track, marks locations of the of the electromagnetic uncouplers, and increased the spacing between the southwestern inbound and loop track. Bob has already built most of the new turnouts required. The new Dexter yard will allow true point-to-point operation without blocking continuous unattended operation of the existing inner and outer loops. (Rob D photo)

MEETINGS

The official weekly club work sessions are 9:00 to noon on Saturdays. The business meeting is the first Saturday of the month at sort of the same time. Some members are often present for work sessions, or just plain lollygagging on Wednesday and Friday mornings, about the same time as the Saturday schedule. but lately this has become a bit uncertain. If you want to come on a weekday morning and don’t have a key, it is best to call someone. For those not yet retired, a group meets starting about 7:00 pm on Tuesday evenings for a couple of hours. Many meet at 8:00 Saturday mornings at McKay’s Restaurant on 1113 Main Street, Commerce for breakfast, and extend an invitation to any who care to join them.

NOTICE — The next scheduled business meeting is 9:00 am, Saturday, July 7, 2018.

June BUSINESS MEETING SUMMARY

PRESENT: Ron M, Paul F, Bob T, Tom B, Bob E, Dave G, Rob D, Tom McC, George F, Bob A, George W. Guest: Dave Fair

TREASURER'S REPORT: Submitted by Treasurer Ron M
This section is redacted

In addition to the financial statement Ron reminded members to pay for the bottled water they drink.

COUNCIL MEETING REPORT: Paul F, former club council representative
Even though the club is no longer a member of the Council, Paul attended the meeting anyway. Some habits are hard to break. Treasurer's report indicated that the Council has $deleted on account, including table money received at the meeting. Table Sales: Fall Show: 90. January Show 108. Last year Fall Show had 249 tables, January Show 300 tables. The Fall Show at this time is on track. Advertising has had a few changes even so it is the intention to follow last year's pattern because we saved a lot of money. Franchise tax forms have been turned in. Club information forms are due. The Added Benefit Form is due tonight. Next Meeting will be 17 July 2018. Election results: Pres: Chris Adkins, VP Dave Griffith, Secretary: Dave Graham, Treasurer: Terry Bork, Directors: Wayne, Dave and Larry.

CLUB BUSINESS:
Bob T wanted to know when the Carpentry Club would meet again. Paul didn't know, but said soon.

Paul then introduced our visitor Dave Fair to the membership. Dave indicated that he enjoyed breakfast at McKay's this morning, related his model railroad experiences and said he would be back.

Bob T. talked abut changing the Dexter area of the layout. Then he displayed switches he’d built. He needs to add another left hand switch. Switches have been modified to meet the 2-1/2 inch track centers. We have reached a point where we need to purchase items to complete the modification. We need four uncouplers plus a 16 Vdc power supply. Also, there will be new control panels. We can use rotary or toggle switches. Which would the club prefer? The response indicated toggle switches. Rob suggested additional electro mag uncouplers. Bob said there would be five. Tom McC said if toggle switches can't be found, he would check eBay. Also, scenery needs to include a water column. Rob moved that we proceed with Bob T’s plan. Tom M seconded. Motion passed.

Paul said that we need to clear the mobile home section of Dexter to get to the hatches. Bob T wanted to know if the airport is really necessary. Ron responded that the airport's original purpose was to take up space. Paul said we would remove the airport.

Bob T asked Dave Fair if he had any questions. Dave F had none. Bob T offered to email him a copy of the constitution and by-laws. Dave admitted to being a knuckle dragger: He has no computer right now.

Paul said he saw LeRoy once on Tuesday and once Thursday. LeRoy speaks very slowly and at low volume. LeRoy is in room 304 at Legend Health Care located east of the intersection of FM 1570 and TX 34. Silent George W called Tom B to task for writing that his scratch built depot is prototypically too large in the newsletter. Tom B protested that that’s not what he said, but that that the dimensions of most model buildings are drastically reduced from the prototype bo better fit model layouts, at which point Paul adjourned the meeting.

INFORMATION:

The following web sites are excellent sources of supplies (1) and data (4). (3) is Rob D’s blog on the Model Railroad Hobbyist website. It is updated almost daily. One of our members also has a personal web site (3). Site (3) is Bob T’s summary of northeast Texas railroads. Site (4) has some interesting photos of Commerce area railroading over the years.

COMING ATTRACTIONS:

July 21, 2018 — LSR Div. 3 Meeting Christ the Servant Lutheran Church, Allen

REGIONAL RAILROAD PROTOTYPE NEWS

This is just a sampling of that’s going on in our area, which is defined to be whatever I think interesting, so the area can be fairly large. Or not. his month, we have another member profile — George W

Trains and Me.
by George Warren

Like many model railroaders today my interest in trains began at an early age. My family lived in Vicksburg, Mississippi at the time. Vicksburg was where two important lines of the Illinois Central crossed: an east west line from Meridian, MS to Shreveport LA, and a north-south line from Memphis to New Orleans via Baton Rouge, La. This was a division point that had a large yard where they made up trains and repaired engines and cars.

The yard had a long steel bridge that went across the tracks where they made up the trains. On Saturday mornings when possible, my Dad and I would park on the bridge and watch the switchers make up the trains. We would guess whether the cars which were being added would make a big bang when they hit the cars already part of new train. Starting when I was around 8 years old, each Christmas Santa Claus brought me a new accessory for my Lionel train set. My model railroad was mounted on a 4’x8’ plywood board. I had a cattle car, log car, airplane beacon 3 switches and a few cars that did not do anything but roll. While off at college Mom and Dad had a small fire in the house attic and my train was destroyed. That was the end of my early involvement in model railroading, but I still liked trains.

In 1963 my wife, my 3 sons and I ended up in Greenville, Tx. While in Greenville I had a chance to gain possession of the Katy Depot in downtown Greenville which I owned for about 20 years. This was an interesting time because I got to hear stories of all kinds from people who had experiences involving the depot.

About three years ago, Leroy H asked me to join the ETMRC, which I did. This has been a very rewarding experience because the members are fun and very knowledgeable about model railroading. I enjoy running the trains but also enjoy landscaping, electrical, carpentry and model building which are skills you must learn to build a model railroad. I am not a rivet counter but enjoy all phases of the hobby.

Presently I am building a layout in a 12’x12’ room. I work on my layout a while and then scratch building a model of the Greenville Katy Depot that is really challenging my skill level.

I plan to continue model railroading for as long as I can with help from my ETMRC friends.